Frame for number plates and the like



Sept. 19, 1933.4 A. G, GOLDBERG FRAME FOR NUMBER PLATES AND T HE LIKE Filed July l5 lrwenor. Abraham G. Godber Ays.

Patented Sept. 19, 1933 Friet:

1,921,564 FRAME Foa NUMBER PLATES AND -rnn LIKE Abraham G. Goldberg, Quincy, Mass. Application `luly 13, 1933. Serial No. 680,267

4 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to improvements in holders for automobile number plates and the like, and the principal object thereof is to provide a construction which can be easily manufactured for license plates of different lengths and/ or of different widths.

A further object of the invention is to provide.

a frame of the character above dened with a suitable backing plate for holding the number plate in the frame, and with means for locking the backing plate firmly in position when it is attached to a suitable support for the frame.

These and other objectsand features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated inthe drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a number plate frame secured to a usual support, such as a cross bar mounted upon the front and/or rear of the automobile;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the frame in assembled position with portions broken away to show the connections between the side and end members respectively with the corner members, and also illustrating a transparent member, such as a glass, or celluloid, plate overlying the number plate, the number plate, the backing plate andv o the means for locking the backing plate in the frame;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalview'on line 3-3, Fig. 2;

f Fig. 4 is a detail view of the end portion of a ,35 side or end member of angular construction having notches adjacent its ends to receive complementary interengaging tabs upon the corner members; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the' corner member as observed from the inner face thereof.

The frame illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises metallic side members 1 and end members 2 of angle bar construction having flanges 3 and 4 extending at right angles to each other, and each iiange being provided adjacent its end with one or more recesses 5 and 6 adapted to receivetabs projecting from the edges of the corner members.

The corner members 'I may all be of like angular construction comprising a peripheral iiange 8 and a face flange 9 extending at right angles thereto and preferably formed to present a rounded corner, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The end portions of the peripheral fiange 8 of the cornerl member are provided adjacent its ends with out* wardly projecting tabs 10 and 11, and the face flange is similarly provided with outwardly projecting tabs 12 and 13, the tabs 10 and 12 and 1l and 13 beingkrespectively positioned to'engage the recesses 5 and 6 near the ends of the side 60 and end members respectively, so that when the corner members are assembled in overlapped relation tothe end portions of the side and end members, with the .tabs `10 and 12, 11 and 13, engaging the notches 5 and 6 respectively in the 35 side and end members, and turned down against the inner faces oi the side and end members, the adjacent ends of the side and endmembers will be locked withV the respective corner members to provide a rigid frame of angular cross section presenting in effect a. continuous face ilange and a continuous peripheral flange. y

Desirably the face flange 4 may be slightly convexedly curved outwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 3,

to present an ornamental appearance and the entire outer surface of the frame may be chromiumplated to present an ornamental appearance.

Preferably a gasket 14, oif-rubbe or other suitable material, is placed upon the-inner face of the face iiange. The gasket may be of such .o

thinness that its inner face will be substantially in the plane of the 'inner edge o! the face'i'iange.

asA illustrated in Fig. 3. A suitable plate, such as a glass plate 15,- deslrably is fitted within the frame and engages the gasket 14. The

number plate 16 may be placed in contact with the transparent plate, or if desired may be sepa'- rated therefrom by a thin gasket oi resilient inaterial. The number plate is retained in the frame by a backing plate 17 which nts within the immer and suitable means are provided for locking the backing plate in place.

A preferred means for holding the backing plate in place, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, comprises a ,bar or preferably a plurality of bars 18 having their ends 19 bent at right angles to the axis of the bar in the same direction and so positioned as to extend in parallelism with and in close proximity to the vertical flanges 3 oi the side members l and 2 respectively.

The side members are provided with suitable loops or eyes to receive the ends oi' the locking bars 18. As illustrated herein, narrow metallic straps 20 are secured to the flanges 3 of the side members by rivets 21, or by spot welding, soldering, or otherwise, and are provided with end portions 22 curved into cylindrical form to receive the ends 19 of the locking bar 18.

Suitable means are provided for securing the backing plate to the support for the number plate frame. In the preferred construction illustrated. the backing plate is provided with longitudinally extending pairs of slots 23 and 24 which may be located in proximity to the upper or to the lower side members of the fram or any other desir able position, and bolts 25 provided with thin heads 26 extend through such slots and through the usual supporting bar 27 for the number plate commonly used upon automobiles. The bolts 25 are provided with suitable nuts 28 adapted to clamp the frame upon the supporting bars 2'1;

By reason of this construction thel tension placed upon the bolts forces the backing plate firmly against the locking bars 18 in such manner that the end portions 19 of the locking bars are prevented from withdrawal@ from the eyes 21 carried by the side bars 2 and 3 respectively.

By reason of the construction above described frames of any size can be constructed to tit number plates of such size as are required bythe laws of the different States, or for number plates having few or many numerals. In the construction of s uch frames the same corner members may be used for all and the sides and/or ends cut suchV length as is required to produce a frame to ilt the desired number plate, notches being made in the end portionsofA the 'ilanges at such distance from the ends of the side and end bars `as will properly be engaged by the tabs which extend outwardly from the flanges 8 and 9 of the corner members. y

It will be understood that the particular construction specically shown and described herein is of an illustrative character and that` various n changes may be made in size, construction `and arrangement of parts within the spirit and scope o! the followingclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asy new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A holder for automobile number plates and l the like, comprising metallic angle bar side'and end members and corner members having flanges to overlap and engage the adjacent end portions of the flanges of said end and side members, the overlapping corner and adjacent endportions of the side and end members being provided with complementary pliable tabs and recesses adapted right angles thereto, a backing plate tting within at right angles'to the bodies of said bars, tabs the like, comprising metallic side, end and corner members of angle construction connected to-v gether to form a rigid frame presenting a iront face ange and a peripheral flange extending at said peripheral ilange adapted to hold the number plate in said frame, a locking bar extending across said backing plate having end portions bent into parallelism with the peripheral ilanges of said frame, and' tabs on said flanges having eyes releasably to receive the end portions of said lockingbar, and means for connecting said backing plate to a support for said frame operable to produce such tension upon the locking bar as to prevent disengagement thereof from said eyes.

3. A holder for automobile number plates and the like, comprising a metallic trame having side v andend members of angle construction presenting a front face iiange and a peripheral ilange extending at right angles thereto, a backing plate fitting within said peripheral ilange adapted to hold the number plate in said frame, a plurality of bars extending transversely across said rbacking plate and provided with end members bent upon saidside members having eyes to receive the bent end portions of said bars," and means for connecting said backing plate to a support for said frame comprising thin-headed bolts extending through slots in said backing plate and adapted when placed under tension to torce said backing plate into locking engagement with' said bars. y

4. A holder for automobile number plates andvr the like, comprising metallic side, end and corner members of angle construction connected together to form a rigid frame 'presenting a front face flange having a slight outward convex curvature and a peripheral ilange extending at right angles thereto, a gasket of resilient material lying within the concave innerface of said `face flange, a sheet of transparent material `fitting within `said peripheral flange and resting upon said gasket, a backing plate fitting within said pe-` ripheral flange adapted to hold-they number plate in said frame, a plurality of locking bars extending transversely of said frame having end portions extending in the same direction at right angles to the bodies of the'respectlve bars, tabs on said side 4members having eyes to receive the 125 end portions of said locking bars, and tlfiin-headed bolts extending through longitudinal slots in said backing plate adapted to engage a support for said vframe and operable'when under tension to force said backing plate linto locking engagement with vsaid locking bars.

' ABRAHAM o. corriamo, 

